At WS, Learning Seminars were created for teachers to have a chance to reiterate key information. Instead, Learning Seminars have reinforced the definition of pointless.
Students walk into a classroom for Learning Seminar ready for anything to happen. There could be a small lesson that acts as a refresher for the students, or a study hall. For example, students walk into a class with no idea of what they are going to do for Learning Seminar, only to find out that they’re not doing anything at all. Then, surprisingly, the next time the teacher expects the students to be ready for a lesson. A student should be able to understand what the Learning Seminar is going to be because it can have different meanings.
Pointless can be a strong word for the subject, but in this case, what are Learning Seminars? There could be a range of answers from incredibly helpful to confusion. It depends on the teacher, some teachers take advantage of the situation and allow their students that are struggling to ask questions about the homework or the activities during class, while others decide to stare at their computer and use this time for a planning period.
For the students that may be struggling, the 45 minute block would be a great scenario. However, what about the students who are “Spartans in Good Standing”? Should they be stuck in a classroom just staring at the wall and thinking about how the tiles are shaped? In their case, why not replace that block and call it Double Spartan Time. That way, students who are struggling would have plenty of time to visit teachers, correct the assignments or re-take the tests that need to be done, while at the same time rewarding students whose grades are in order.
A Double Spartan Time would be a great way for students to do homework in the cafeteria, fix their grades, or take a break by talking with their friends or playing basketball in the gym. It would give teachers the time that they need to have a chance to have a one on one session with a student who may need serious help, rather than having to waste time with students who don’t need the extra time.
Learning Seminars can still be fixed, so why not? There are plenty of ways to fix it including adding another block of Spartan Time or using it as a time that would beneficially impact students academically.